Diet quality determines interspecific parasite interactions in host populations

Abstract

The widespread occurrence of multiple infections and the often vast range of nutritional resources for their hosts allow that interspecific parasite interactions in natural host populations might be determined by host diet quality. Nevertheless, the role of diet quality with respect to multispecies parasite interactions on host population level is not clear. We here tested the effect of host population diet quality on the parasite community in an experimental study using Daphnia populations. We studied the effect of diet quality on Daphnia population demography and the interactions in multispecies parasite infections of this freshwater crustacean host. The results of our experiment show that the fitness of a low-virulent microsporidian parasite decreased in low, but not in high-host-diet quality conditions. Interestingly, infections with the microsporidium protected Daphnia populations against a more virulent bacterial parasite. The observed interspecific parasite interactions are discussed with respect to the role of diet quality-dependent changes in host fecundity. This study reflects that exploitation competition in multispecies parasite infections is environmentally dependent, more in particular it shows that diet quality affects interspecific parasite competition within a single host and that this can be mediated by host population-level effects.

Genetic, ecological and geographic covariables explaining host range and specificity of a microsporidian parasite

“…A further investigation showed that parasite fitness can be determined by diet‐quality‐dependent interspecific parasite interactions, when host population‐level effects are taken into account (Lange et al . ). This suggests that experimental host range studies should include the parasite's entire transmission cycle to better assess its ability for long‐term persistence in a host population.…”

Exploited and excreting: parasite type affects host nutrient recycling

“…However, because the intensity of symptoms and level of virulence experienced by hosts is, in large part, context dependent (Scholthof 2007), it may be useful to consider these symptoms across environmental gradients that are relevant to nutrient recycling. Host nutrient supply could also directly affect parasite-host interactions with though its effects on parasite virulence (Vale et al 2011, Abu Kwaik andBumann 2013), parasite load (Bruno et al 2003, Frost et al 2008a, and interspecific parasite interactions (Lange et al 2014). Host nutrient supply could also directly affect parasite-host interactions with though its effects on parasite virulence (Vale et al 2011, Abu Kwaik andBumann 2013), parasite load (Bruno et al 2003, Frost et al 2008a, and interspecific parasite interactions (Lange et al 2014).…”

Synergistic effects of dual parasitism in Daphnia magna under nutrient limitation

“…under stressful conditions, e.g., predation (stiBor 1992), temperature increase (geerts et al 2014), metal contamination (LoPes et al 2004). This "fecundity compensation" has also been identified for Daphnia sp.-parasite interactions (chaDwicK & LittLe 2005;cooPman et al 2014;Lange et al 2014). This can again be linked to an energy allocation perspective.…”

“…WFCD is a small coccoid parasite that infects the adipose tissue of Daphnia species (eBert 2005). The infection is transmitted horizontally, and severely impacts survival in Daphnia species (cooPman et al 2014;Lange et al 2014) and to a lesser extent fecundity upon disease progression. P. ramosa strains were isolated from the same pond as were the Daphnia clones, but from a later time (2012) than the clones were isolated (most recent clone isolates 2002).…”

“…In natural systems, parasitism of Daphnia individuals is the rule rather than the exception, with multiple infections occurring frequently (DecaestecKer et al 2005;eBert 2005;woLinsKa et al 2009;Jansen et al 2010;Lange et al 2014). Because of their tight association, parasites can compete for nutrients with their host (frost et al 2008;haLL et al 2009).…”